Charming Utah: Haunted Houses... to Buy or Not to Buy?

I love the saying, "During the Day I Don't Believe in Ghosts. At Night I am a Little More Open-Minded."

People often ask me about haunted houses when they are in the market to buy a home. Most of the time, even skeptical people who don’t believe in ghosts or an afterlife are wary of living in a house that is reputed to be haunted. But there isn’t an entry on the Multiple Listing Service for that… you don’t find a search field for ‘Ghost: Malicious” or “Ghost: Friendly like Casper” or “Minor Poltergeist Issues”.

Or, if you are like one buyer I spoke with, you WANT a house with ghosts. “My ideal house would be one with character…” she said. “A historic home, one built in the late 1800’s with lots of ghosts and pioneer history.

If you believe in ghosts and suspect a house is haunted, you need to ask the Seller’s Agent. If you ask, they have a duty to tell the truth. Or, if you want to be extra safe, you can contact Connie Hillenbrand, the real-life version of the popular TV shows The Ghost Whisperer or Medium.

Recently she shared a story with me about a property that had a history of being on or very near Native American burial grounds  – what happened to her was like something out of a Ghost Hunters documentary:

The homeowner pulled out her cell phone and showed me pictures of a shadow being, orbs and one very interesting one of roses she had dried upside down, covered by red foil type material. She had a video showing that the foil would raise and lower and spin by itself!

When we brought in a paranormal investigation team, I was surprised to hear that on the EVP a voice could be heard saying very clearly, "Connie leave us alone."

Needless to say, I went up there that Saturday evening. It is my job to clear the house of negative energy and send the spirits who want to cross into the light and their loved ones on the Other Side. We accomplished just that.

Connie can be contacted at 801 953-1974. And if you are in the market for a home, with or without ghosts, you can always contact me. I promise to do my best to dig up the ghost stories, local lore, and mythology that surrounds so many of our homes here in Salt Lake.  

Charming Utah: Backyards and Boardwalks, The History of the American Deck

Back in the day, the backyard was kind of the “ugly stepsister” of the American yard. There were a few things stored there that made it less than desirable as a recreation area: for example, pigs. Trash heaps. And a perennial favorite, the outhouse!

Porches did a little bit of a musical chair dance around the house since their popularity began to peak from the early 1880’s to the 1920’s; at first they were in front. Then the side porch became as trendy. Simultaneously, storing the newest hot invention, the automobile, became an issue because people were afraid the cars might explode from the gasoline. So where did they store the cars? The poor ole’ backyard. (Now you know why there are a ton of detached garages in Sugarhouse and other historic neighborhoods.) 

But progress usually triumphs, and with the advent of indoor plumbing and gasoline safety protocols, out went the outhouses and the backyard finally found its day in the sun. They became a safe haven for housing your prized chrysanthemum gardens and badminton courts. More recently, decks have become an important part of that history.

The first American “deck” was actually considered the boardwalk. Atlantic City hosted the first deck made, out of Atlantic white cedar. You can't see it here, which is a testament to its strength considering the teeming masses that are weighing down upon it. 

Atlantic City Boardwalk

But as logging increased, woods became scarce, and woods like cedar and redwoods came at a premium. Then pine was pressure treated to try to solve the problem. Now, tropical woods are a growing source of deck wood, but since many of these exotic woods present an environmental hazard, there is a premium to procuring the woods that are “environmentally friendly” and aren’t a product of deforestation.

Utah’s weather presents its own special challenges in regards to decking… in any given year, temperatures can range from below freezing to above 100 degrees! And where landscaping is one of the most important factors in home values (heck, an entire TV show centers around “Curb Appeal”) what’s a Utahn to do?

According to Mel Berry of ANAB Construction, “It is very important that the contractor working on your deck builds it so that it is structurally able to handle the snow load.” 

Deck Constructed by Mel Berry, ANAB Construction

He recommends Redwood and Trex (the company that basically invented the composite decking material category in response to many weather and environmental concerns), and noted that while pressure-treated woods are great for Utah conditions, “...they do the job well but are more costly.”

To get a assistance for your deck or for other questions about your Deck project, Mel can be reached at: 801-455-7650

And as always, for help on selling your house or finding your next dream home with a little Storytelling magic thrown in, I can be contacted at 801-413-7992.